The 2007 Independence Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana …. Two 6-6 teams slug it out on a Sunday night to see which team will have a winning season, and which will go home with back-to-back losing seasons for the first time in decades. Not exactly high drama …. unless you are a Buff fan already excited about the possibilities for 2008! Click below to learn all you need to know for next weekend ….

Review of the Independence Bowl (Note: you will have to scroll down to read the preview and reveiw)

Colorado spotted Alabama a 27-0 lead, then out-scored the Crimson Tide 24-3 before succumbing 30-24 in the PetroSun Independence Bowl. The post-game talk was as much about how the comeback will impact 2008 as about the game itself. Read below for notes and quotes from Shreveport, Louisiana …

Bar Bet Winner – What claim to fame does Colorado, which has one national championship, have that Alabama, with a claim to 12 national titles (seven since 1936, when the AP started its national polling), doesn’t have? (and no, I didn’t know this one before, either).

Colorado over Alabama on December 30th – of course. But what about all the other bowl games? Here is the read on 20 other bowl games, some which have direct ties to CU’s future (Kentucky over Florida State), and some which take a little more thought (know why to cheer for South Florida over Oregon?).

Colorado has played Alabama only twice in its history, both times in bowl games. The first matchup was played before my time as a CU fan, when the Buffs defeated the Crimson Tide in the 1969 Liberty Bowl. Bobby Anderson had 254 yards rushing as Colorado rolled to a 47-33 win. The “tide” turned in 1991, however, as Alabama defeated Colorado in the ‘91 Blockbuster Bowl, 30-25. The 1991 game featured the nation’s reigning national champion (Colorado) against a team which would go on to claim the national championship the following season (Alabama would go on to post a 12-0 record in ‘92). The 1991 Blockbuster Bowl was also noteworthy for what head coach Bill McCartney decided to do with his offense in preparation for that game. Enter the era of “Air Bill” …….

Preview – Alabama

What you need to know well before kickoff on December 30th ……

1) Haven’t watched Alabama much this season? That’s okay. You don’t need to watch tape of the Alabama offense to be prepared for the Indepedence Bowl. The Colorado defense certainly doesn’t – they have seen it all year. The comparisons between the Colorado offensive statistics and those of Alabama are uncanny:

The Buffs are averaging 27.6 points per game (ranked 63rd nationally); the Tide’s numbers: 26.8 points per game (65th);

The Buff defense should be well prepared for the Alabama offense – they have been practicing against it all season!

2) Louisiana will not be as much of a road trip as it may have been otherwise. Yes, CU travels poorly to road and bowl games, and a trip to Shreveport, Louisiana, is not going to change that (in fact, CU is giving some of its ticket allotment to service personnel and their families). Still, despite the game being played in SEC territory, don’t look for Alabama to be a favorite of the locals. First, this is the Tide’s third trip to Shreveport in seven years (and second season in a row), so there certainly isn’t much novelty for the local fans, or for the travelling Tide faithful. Second, Alabama’s coach, Nick Saban, left LSU for the Miami Dolphins after the 2004 season. Here’s hoping there are Tiger fans who haven’t forgiven Saban for leaving LSU for the NFL.

3) Alabama is a better opponent for the Buffs than Indiana. While it is true that there would have been more CU fans in the stands in Tempe, Arizona, for the Insight Bowl, the fact is that Oklahoma State got the tougher draw. Indiana hasn’t been to a bowl since 1993. The Hoosier faithful will travel to Phoenix in droves, and the players are motivated to be playing in the post-season. Compare that to Alabama, which fired its coach at the end of last season for going 6-6 and landing in the Independence Bowl. Alabama then paid Nick Saban $4 million to lead the Crimson Tide to …… a 6-6 record and an Independence Bowl berth. Not much bang for the buck.

4) Alabama is on a four game losing streak. After upsetting 20th ranked Tennessee to go to 6-2, the sky seemed to be the limit for the Crimson Tide. Even a heart-breaking 41-34 loss to 3rd ranked LSU the following weekend did little to dampen the enthusiasm in Tuscaloosa. Then the bottom fell out: a 17-12 loss to perennial SEC West bottom feeder Mississippi State; a mind-numbing 21-14 loss to Louisiana-Monroe (the first loss by an Alabama team to a team from the Sun Belt Conference ever); and a gut-wrenching 17-10 loss to arch-rival Auburn. What will these Alabama players have left in the tank for a meaningless trip to Shreveport?

On the other hand …….

1) CU is not exactly playing its best ball of the season. At halftime of the Nebraska game, Colorado was down 35-24, and was looking at a 5-7 record and a three game losing streak of its own (and five losses out of the last six games). Thanks to three turnovers and a blocked punt, the Buffs are riding high once again. Which begs the question – which CU team will show up in Louisiana? The one which out-scored Iowa State 21-0 in the first half of that game, and out-scored Nebraska 41-16 in the second half in Boulder? OR the Buff team which was out-scored 31-7 by Iowa State in the second half, and 35-24 in the first half against Nebraska? The totals for the Buffs’ last two games: 62-16 in the two “good” halves; 31-66 in the two “bad” halves.

2) Colorado hasn’t played well on the road, or at night. The Buffs did post road wins over Texas Tech and Baylor this season, and looked good doing so. On the other hand, other than the first quarter against Arizona State, CU has been mediocre at best. Coupled with the 33-0 run by Arizona State were collapses against Kansas State (47-20) and in the second half against Iowa State (31-7). At night, the Buffs are 0-5 this season, and the Independence Bowl has a 7:00 p.m. local kickoff. Ick!

3) It’s all about the turnovers. Arguably, the Buffs’ three best wins of the season were against Oklahoma, Texas Tech, and Nebraska. The common thread in those three games? Second half turnovers. The Buffs got three each in the second half against Oklahoma and Nebraska; four total on the afternoon against Texas Tech. If the Buffs are to win in Shreveport, a little help from Alabama would help immensely. Unfortunately, the Crimson Tide is stingy with the ball. Only 18 turovers all season – the 24th best total in the country (by comparison, the Buffs have 25 turnovers so far this year).

Predictions? None from here. Colorado has to play its game to win: run the ball well; control the clock; no big plays surrendered on defense; score when the opportunities present themselves; play the third quarter; win the turnover battle. Basic stuff. The same could well be said for Alabama’s chances. When these teams have played well, they have looked like they could play with anyone (CU: Oklahoma; Texas Tech. Alabama: Tennessee; LSU). Other times, these two teams have stunk up the joint (CU: Kansas State; Iowa State. Alabama: Mississippi State; Louisiana-Monroe). Guess that’s why both teams are 6-6 overall, 4-4 in conference play.

May the best mediocre team win!

Quick hits:

– The Independence Bowl is so named because its inagural season was 1976, the year of the Bi-Centennial.

– Alabama has played in more bowl games (55) and won more bowl games (30) than any other school. (Tennesse and Texas are tied for second in bowl games played, with 47 apiece, while USC ranks 2nd in all-time bowl wins with 29).

– In 2007, Alabama scored on its opening possession nine times, twice on the first offensive play of the game. (The Crimson Tide is 0-3 in games when Alabama does not score in its opening possession).

– The Crimson Tide is the least penalized team in the SEC.

– Nick Saban, in his first year at Alabama, is 3-5 overall in bowl games. (Dan Hawkins was 2-2 with Boise State).

– Colorado hasn’t had back-to-back losing seasons since 1979-84. Alabama hasn’t had back-to-back losing seasons since 1954-57. One of those streaks will come to an end on December 30th.

Postgame Review

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December 30th – Independence Bowl Alabama 30, Colorado 24

Colorado played about as wretchedly as a team can for the first 20 minutes of the 2007 PetroSun Independence Bowl against Alabama, but still made a game of it at the end. The Buffs fell behind 27-0 before rallying, coming up just short in a 30-24 loss to the Crimson Tide before 47,043 in Shreveport, Louisiana. The loss left the Buffs with a 6-7 overall record, finishing with a losing record in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1983-‘84.

Alabama opened the contest with a field goal, scoring on its first possession of the game for the tenth time in 13 tries in ‘07. The Tide put together a 44-yard drive to the Colorado 23 yard line before settling for a 40-yard field goal by kicker Leigh Tiffin. The Buffs’ first drive lasted all of one play. Freshman quarterback Cody Hawkins, who had not thrown an interception in his previous 70 attempts, hit Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain right between the numbers, setting up the Crimson Tide at the CU 15-yard line. The Buffs’ defense held, however, forcing another Tiffin field goal.

Down 6-0, the Buffs posted their only first down of the quarter on a 12-yard end around by senior wide receiver Dusty Sprague. On fourth-and-two at the Alabama 45 yard line, the Buffs went for a fake punt, but up-back Byron Ellis was stopped for no gain. The Crimson Tide then drove quickly down the field, covering 55 yards in only six plays, with a 15 yard touchdown pass from quarterback John Parker Wilson to Keith Brown giving Alabama a 13-0 lead ten minutes into the game.

Already down two scores, the Buffs fell into a funk which had cost them dearly in blowout losses to Missouri and Kansas State. Colorado’s next two offensive possessions: six total plays; two total yards. Meanwhile, John Parker Wilson played pitch and catch with his receivers. After the Buffs punted following the Keith Brown touchdown, the Crimson Tide required only five plays to cover 63 yards, with Wilson connecting with Matt Caddell for a 34 yard score to up the Alabama lead to 20-0. Another punt led to yet another Tide touchdown. This time Wilson hit Nikita Stover for 31 yards and a score to culminate a 65 yard drive. With 12:20 left to play in the first half, the Independence Bowl scoreboard read: Alabama 27; Colorado 0.

Colorado did record its second first down of the game in its next possession before punting the ball away yet again. Two quick first downs put the Tide back in Buff territory, and it seemed possible at that moment that Independence Bowl officials would be forced to thumb through their rule books at halftime in search of some sort of mercy rule to avoid having the teams come back out for the second half.

Then, the play of the game for Colorado.

After penalties forced Alabama into a second-and-16 at midfield, Wilson was intercepted by CU safety Ryan Walters. Walters returned the pick 35 yards to the Alabama 43-yard line, giving the Buffs new life. An eight play drive was capped off by a four yard touchdown pass from Cody Hawkins to tight end Tyson DeVree. The score came with 2:05 left before halftime, making the score 27-7. If nothing else, Buff fans could find solace in the fact that the score extended the Colorado scoring streak to 235 consecutive games.

But the Buffs were not yet done. The Colorado defense forced a punt from the Alabama offense for the first time on the night on the Tide’s next possession, giving the Buff offense the ball back at the CU 36 with 1:11 to play before the break. Against a prevent defense, the Buffs moved swiftly down the field. With no times out remaining, and the clock winding down under 20 seconds, the Buffs faced a third-and-nine at the Alabama 25. Conventional wisdom called for a spike of the ball and a field goal attempt, but the Buffs went for the big play and were rewarded. Cody Hawkins hit Dusty Sprague near the Alabama three yard line, and the senior receiver dove into the end zone from there. Down 27-0 ten minutes earlier, it was now a game at halftime, with Alabama leading, 27-14.

With thoughts of coming back from an 11-point halftime deficit to Nebraska surely in the Buffs’ heads, the third quarter opened with an impressive drive by the Buffs’ offense. Three first downs put Colorado at the Alabama 29 yard line, and the few thousand Colorado fans who made the trip to Shreveport were finally being heard. The Buffs’ momentum, though, was curtailed a few minutes later, when a 48-yard field goal attempt by senior kicker Kevin Eberhart sailed wide left.

The Alabama offense, which could do no wrong in the first quarter, barely saw the field in the third quarter. The Tide offense notched one first down before punting the ball back to the Buffs. Colorado was forced to start on its own three yard line, but the Buffs strung together a 76-yard drive. This time Eberhart was true, hitting a 39-yard field goal to pull the Buffs to within ten at 27-17, with three minutes to play in the third quarter.

Two plays later, the Buffs had the ball back. CU linebacker Jeff Smart stripped Alabama receiver Matt Caddell near midfield, with the fumble recovered by Buff defensive back Cha’pelle Brown. A 22-yard pass from Hawkins to running back Brian Lockridge gave the Buffs a first-and-ten at the Alabama 30 yard line to start the fourth quarter. Though still down ten, it seemed as if all of the elements for a record comeback had fallen into place for Colorado.

The next few minutes, though, doomed the Buffs to the “woulda, coulda, shoulda” post-game quotes which had made 2007 such a roller coaster ride of emotions.

A sack of Cody Hawkins took the Buffs out of field goal range to halt the promise of the drive after the fumble recovery. The Colorado defense again forced a punt, with the Buffs taking over at their 20 yard line. Down ten, but with 8:39 still to play, there was still time. Unfortunately for the Buffs and their fans, the next Cody Hawkins pass was tipped at the line of scrimmage, then intercepted by Alabama’s Darren Martin. Taking over at the CU 22 yard line, the Crimson Tide had the chance to put the game out of reach, but failed to do so. The Colorado defense, which had held firm since early in the second quarter, did so again, forcing a third Tiffin field goal, this one from 26 yards out. With 4:36 to play, Alabama led, 30-17.

The Buffs required only 45 seconds to make the score 30-24. In five plays, Colorado covered 69 yards, with the final 14 coming on a second connection between Hawkins and tight end Tyson DeVree. For the first time since late in the first quarter, the Buffs were within one score of the lead.

Taking over with 3:51 to play, Alabama was able to run out all but one second on the clock, managing two first downs before punting the ball back to Colorado. A hook-and-lateral from Hawkins to Sprague to center Daniel Sanders to receiver Cody Crawford netted 25 yards, but the game ended with the ball at the CU 45 yard line.

30-24, Alabama.

“I’m very proud of our guys,” said head coach Dan Hawkins after the game. “They could have folded the tent, but they fought back and showed incredible resolve.” The coach’s take on the game was echoed by his players. Tight end Tyson DeVree, whose two touchdown catches in a game tied a CU bowl record: “That is what Colorado football is all about. We never give up. They came out and hit us in the mouth early, that is for sure, but we fought back hard, and we gave it all we had, but we just ran out of time.” Said senior tailback Hugh Charles, who had 69 yards rushing on the evening, about the comeback, “Just heart. We had all kinds of emotion, especially us seniors. We wanted to win tonight, but that did not happen. I am very proud of our team because we fought all the way to the end.”

After falling behind 27-0, the Buffs did fight back. At one point in the second quarter, Alabama had 271 yards of total offense to just 50 for Colorado. By the end of the game, the Buffs actually had the edge in total offense, gaining 397 yards to the Tide’s 388. Alabama’s only three points of the second half came after an interception giving the ball to the Crimson Tide at the Buffs’ 22 yard line.

The 2007 PetroSun Independence Bowl was the 2007 season in microcosm for the Colorado football program. There were moments of brilliance; there were moments of utter frustration. In the end, the Buffs were a middling program which showed signs of greatness, but also showed signs that there was a long way to go before the program was to be back amongst the elite of college football. Colorado “woulda, coulda, shouda” beat Alabama, but got it its own way, with the net result another frustrating loss.

It will be interesting to see whether the 2008 Buffs will be able to get over that hump, and return the program to the national spotlight.

Wishful Thinking

It’s my own fault, really.

I should have been more specific.

In my Preseason preview of the 2007 season (you can click on the preview, along with reviews of each game, on the right hand column of the website), I wrote the following about the Buffs and their chances for the year:

“The end result. In my estimation, and a good season would be six wins and a bowl bid. Six wins (anything beyond that is probably wishful thinking) would show marked progress for the program, and give Buff fans great optimism for 2008 and beyond.”

What I should have said was: “…. a good season would be six regular season wins and a bowl win.” I really did want that seventh win, and not just so we don’t have to read – as we will – in every preseason magazine for 2008: “Colorado, coming off back-to-back losing seasons for first time in over 20 years …”. I really wanted that extra momentum heading into 2008.

(A side note. I’m sure Dave Plati will find a way to keep Colorado in the loop for longest number of years without back-to-back losing seasons, as in “Most Consecutive seasons without consecutive losing regular season records”, but 6-7 is still 6-7.)

All things considered, you have to have hope for the future. The comeback was impressive. (Okay, let’s see a show of hands of those who didn’t go channel surfing when the score hit 27-0 … that’s what I thought. Me, too.) But why should it have come to that? CU was the team coming to Shreveport with momentum from a big win over its biggest rival; Alabama had just lost for the sixth consecutive time to Auburn, and had lost four in a row. The Buffs were happy to be in any bowl after being 2-10 in 2006; the Crimson Tide were surly having to make the trip back to Shreveport for the second year in a row. Hawkins was upbeat; Saban was down-trodden. If either team figured to get off to a hot start, it seemed as if Colorado was the likely choice.

No one in the Colorado locker room had an answer, either. Dan Hawkins said, “We had a little trouble finding our rhythm at the start, and we could not convert third downs.” Senior tackle Tyler Polumbus was equally perplexed. “I do not know the answer to why we started like that,” said Polumbus, who played every snap for the Buff offense in both 2006 and 2007. “Bowl games are just funny sometimes.”

Even with the plaudits for not succumbing after falling so far behind, and even with the grand statements of determination to make the bowl loss a starting ground for building for 2008 (Defensive tackle, George Hypolite: “I can guarantee that the product we put on the field next year will be where it needs to be to win the Big 12 championship. I am not saying we will or we won’t win the Big 12, but we are going to work ourselves into a position to do so next season.”), there are still some ugly facts with which to contend.

First on the list is the overall record. A 6-7 season does leave the Buffs with consecutive losing campaigns for the first time since the early 1980’s. There is no way to sugar coat that reality. Further, Dan Hawkins’ overall record at Colorado now stands at a less than imposing 8-17. Another losing season in 2008 will almost certainly bring pressure for a change. Second, there are the hard numbers in the record book. On offense, there were dramatic strides from 2006, but the reality remains that Colorado ranked in the bottom half in the country in all relevant offensive statistics, and no better than 7th in the Big 12 in any of them. Similarly on defense, the Buffs gave up huge chunks of yards most Saturdays (the 388 posted by Alabama was almost identical to the season average of 389.4), and were surrendering almost 30 points a game.

1987 freshmen – as seniors in 1990, went 11-1-1 and won the national championship

“You would have liked to win your last game and go 7-6,” said Hawkins after the Alabama loss. “But I think the loss gives our guys a little juice going into the off-season workouts. I am very excited to be at the University of Colorado, which is a school with tremendous pride, and tremendous tradition. I want to be a part of a National Championship here at Colorado. We have made strides this season, and the best years are in front of us.”

Trivia you’ll want to remember

Easy – Alabama’s nickname? Okay, so you knew that one: The Alabama Crimson Tide. Alabama, until 1906, was known as the “Crimson White” or the “Thin Red Line”, in reference to the school’s colors. In 1907, the Alabama/Auburn game was played in sea of mud. Sportswriter Hugh Roberts wrote that the Alabama team, which held the heavily favored Auburn team to a 6-6 tie, came at the Tigers during the rain-soaked game ”like a Crimson Tide”, and the nickname stuck.

Medium – The Alabama mascot? The elephant, of course. Dressing up a “Crimson Tide” is not an easy task, so Alabama improvised. In 1930, Alabama went undefeated and won the national championship (in fact, Alabama gave up only 13 points in ten games that season, registering eight shutouts). In the second game of the season, Alabama rolled Mississippi, 64-0. According to one sportswriter, when the Crimson Tide took the field for the second half, a fan shouted, “Hold your horses, the elephants are coming”. An elephant has been considered the Alabama mascot ever since.

Bar Bet Winner – What does CU have in its football past that Alabama does not have? A Heisman Trophy winner!!! Colorado’s Rashaan Salaam won the trophy awarded the nation’s best player in 1994. Alabama, however, home to such college stars as Joe Namath, Bart Starr, Ken Stabler, Don Hutson, Ozzie Newsome, and Bobby Humphrey, has yet to produce a Heisman trophy winner! (The highest an Alabama player is finished is third, by David Palmer in 1993).

The Enemy of my Enemy is my Friend …

Obvious: Colorado faces seven bowl teams next season. Want to feel better about the schedule going into the ‘08 campaign? Then cheer for those teams facing those seven bowl opponents:

December 27th – Holiday Bowl – Arizona State over Texas

December 29th – Alamo Bowl – Penn State over Texas A&M

December 31st – Music City Bowl – Kentucky over Florida State

December 31st – Insight Bowl – Indiana over Oklahoma State

January 1st – Cotton Bowl – Arkansas over Missouri

January 2nd – Fiesta Bowl – Oklahoma over West Virginia (caught you napping on that one!)

January 3rd – Orange Bowl – Virginia Tech over Kansas

Understandable: While the 2008 season will soon be upon us, it is never too early to start looking at future seasons and future opponents. Since we can’t count on a schedule like much of our Big 12 North brethren (who often refuse to face a BCS team until conference play commences), we have to be wary of having too many ranked opponents in our non-conference schedule. As a result, it’s not too early to start cheering for:

December 31st – Armed Forces Bowl – Air Force over California (CU plays the Bears in 2010 and 2011)

January 1st – Sugar Bowl – Georgia over Hawaii – (CU plays both of these BCS bowl-bound teams in 2010. The CU game against Georgia is the back end of a home and home, while CU plays Hawaii four times in the next decade).

January 7th – BCS Championship Game – Ohio State over LSU – (and not just because my wife is an alumna of OSU, and not just because it would be nice to see Nebraska’s new coach, Bo Pelini, squirming on the sideline ever time Ohio State scores). CU plays the LSU Tigers in 2011 and 2012. Too far off to worry about? Think about this – this year’s recruits will be juniors and seniors in 2011 and 2012 – Yikes!

Obscure – This is where “The Enemy of my Enemy is my Friend” really comes into play. It’s not enough to just cheer for next year’s opponents to lose their bowl games. You need to be prepared to cheer for your opponents’ opponents to be stronger next season. To-wit:

January 3rd – Orange Bowl – Virginia Tech over Kansas. Yes, this game fits into the obvious category – it would be nice for Kansas to open ‘08 with a two game losing streak. But did you know that Virginia Tech plays Nebraska next season? A big deal? Nebraska opens with five home games next season. Five!! Bo Pelini will not have to leave Lincoln for a game until October!! All the more reason for a strong Virginia Tech team to give them a good game in Lincoln in September, ‘08.

December 22nd – New Mexico Bowl – a pick ‘em between New Mexico and Nevada. Texas A&M plays New Mexico next season, while Missouri plays Nevada.

December 31st – Humanitarian Bowl – Fresno State over Georgia Tech – The Bulldogs of FSU travel to Manhattan to face a bitter KSU team in a rematch of the Wildcats’ last game of 2007.

December 31st – Sun Bowl – South Florida over Oregon – USF is playing Kansas next year. Yes, KU is playing a BCS school! (I guess they thought they were scheduling Florida International …. oops! They play FIU, too!).

January 1st – Cotton Bowl – Arkansas over Missouri – Again, there is the obvious reason to root for the Razorbacks – but Arkansas also plays Texas next season.

January 1st – Rose Bowl – Illinois over USC. Illinois almost beat Missouri in the season opener this year. The Illini will try and correct that it the ‘08 opener.

So, there you go …. and you thought that the only bowl game you needed to care about was Colorado over Alabama!!

3 Responses to “Alabama – Independence Bowl – Wishful Thinking”

While CU didn’t get the easy wins other the other teams you referred to did, I saw 10 of 12 games on TV this year. Some great, some disappointing, but I got to watch my team play on TV. Watching CU play some of the best college athletes that are future NFL players has made college and NFL more interesting.

So bring on the tough compition and we’ll see more games on national TV next year.

Good comment. In a perfect world, I would agree with you, but since teams do not play equal schedules, there is unequal treatment by the media and the fans. Kansas got to 4-0 this season with games against Central Michigan, SE Louisiana, Toledo, and Florida International. Would the Jayhawks have received national attention if they had started 2-2 with CU’s schedule? Once CU regains elite status, it will be fun playing top teams at their peak to see how the Buffs rate, but when we are still looking to get to .500, I’ll take a few games against teams when they are down.
Case in point: Florida State is trying to change their game with CU to later in September, so that their suspended players will be available to play against CU (and trying to get games with Chattanooga and Western Carolina to start the season). Why the dodge? They want to preserve their chances at a better record and a better bowl. That’s where the Buffs are at right now – looking for wins. Remember when the Buffs were “the best 0-4 team in the country” in 2000? Moral victories against good teams don’t count.